Always Win
by VTCentaurea
Summary: A story of new worlds, running, and amidst this,there just might be time for romance. 11/River.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.

Working on Chapter 2 at the moment, if you have any ideas on how this should end up, please share them. I'm pretty much just coming up with things as I go.

**Always Win: Chapter 1**

"Scientists have reported seeing a new world of some kind. It has the same gravity pull as Earth and is said to have the same if not more oxygen circulation." The woman on the TV said through the static. Rain storms never had helped the TARDIS' TV reception.

"A new world? Not something you see every day." River said from where she stood, leaning against the railing and watching the screen flicker as the TARDIS fought to keep the television show on her monitor.

"Speak for yourself." The Doctor said, tugging on a jacket, and then he froze, frowning at her. "I know what you're thinking, River… and no. You've seen what happens when we travel to unknown places. Let's just stick near Earth for now, the show starts in half an hour."

"It won't take very long, Doctor, and if we're a bit late it won't matter, these shows always show 15 minutes late anyway!" She pleaded.

"No, River. If you want to see a new world I can take you to the science museum. Museum's are places that 'are safe but you still get the same amount of information if not more'." The Doctor quoted the brochure he'd read earlier that morning. He'd known she'd find something dangerous to ask about.

"We never go on adventures anymore… how much could one teeny look at an inhabited planet do?" She smiled, knowing he'd cave sooner or later.

"They didn't say it was inhabited." He said, and River stood up straight and walked over to him. "We could get caught by some new alien." He said, now counting the reasons on his fingers. River placed her hand on the back of his neck, staring into his nervous eyes. "River we could-" His third point was cut off when River raised on her toes to press her lips to his. After a few minutes, she pulled back a few inches to breathe, then smiled.

"So we can go?" She whispered.

"Yeah… we can go…" He said, his eyes still closed. Her hand slid down to rest on his shoulder.

"You should know, Doctor… I always win arguments." She grinned and he reopened his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Predictable… but if you get us in any trouble…" He left the threat unfinished, not truly knowing what he was going to say. Or, rather, what he could say that would actually sound like a threat to this woman.

"So are you going to punch in the Co-ordinates like a gentleman or are you going to make the lady do everything?" She raised a eyebrow and her smile turned into a sly grin.

"I don't even know-" He started to say, but then the television reporter began listing out the co-ordinates slowly. He turned his back to River, not wanting her to see the shade of light pink that had spread across his cheeks. He typed in the co-ordinates and the TARDIS spun away from it's parking spot in River's back yard. River walked up and pressed the blue button.

"Hope you don't mind, Sweetie, but I'm going to go get changed into something a bit more comfortable. Let me know if the TARDIS lands!" She blew him a small kiss then walked out of the main control room of the TARDIS. The Doctor was left staring after her in a daze. How is it that a mere five minutes ago they were waiting to go to a show and now buzzing off to some unknown planet for no reason other than it sounded exciting. Was there no such thing as a normal day in his life? Was he truly doomed to get into danger every day? Maybe it was just every day she was with him. The more he thought about it, the more he believed she truly was there just to make every second of his life thrilling, not that he was complaining.

River walked back out of the hallway dressed in camo, and though it wasn't as heavy as the last time, it still reminded him of the crash at the Byzantium. Her hair was even up, though it looked like a bun she'd quickly thrown together as she hurried to get dressed. It still looked beautiful, as always.

"Didn't I tell you to let me know when we landed?" River shook her head disappointedly, though she was grinning from ear to ear. "Did you check it out? Or were you polite in waiting?" She stopped in front of him, suddenly looking younger as her eyes twinkled in excitement.

"Didn't want to spoil your fun." He said, grabbing his tweed coat and practically flinging it on himself. By the time he'd gotten ready to leave, River was already out the door, looking around at, oddly enough, all the plant life. The planet looked much like an island paradise. She snatched his hand and pulled him out as he snapped his fingers to close the doors.

"It's it lovely? And you were so worried it was dangerous." She laughed, walking into the forest of over-grown trees.

"River, Might I ask you to actually stay near me?"He asked the spot where she'd just disappeared into. He heard a small noise come from the forest in front of him. "What is that?" Then he heard the noise again, but this time he made out what it was. "River!" He shouted, running into the forest and toward the sound of the feminine scream.

Again I ask, Does anyone have any ideas to what River/another girl is screaming at/about? Please do share! Thank you all for everything!


	3. Chapter 3

_I apologize that it took so long. First week back to school was really busy. Oh well, the story is STILL leading up to the exciting point. I'm betting the next few chapters will be mostly explaining unless I fit it in to just the next one. _

_Sometimes when it seems as if it's talking to someone but there is no quotes, that is the Doctor thinking. I just didn't put it as I usually do. _

_By the way, I changed which Doctor it is… Just because I thought it sounded a bit more like 11 than 10 now._

_Tell me what you think!_

**Chapter 3**

The Doctor ran fast, dodging the trees with unknown ease. It was if he was running along a trail, though there was no such thing. No known civilization or creatures lived on this planet yet, so there was no need for one… Right?

When he arrived, he couldn't believe the sight in front of him… didn't want to believe it. There was his best friend and companion, skin pale in fear and hands trembling as she clutched onto River. Her red hair was in a tangled mess; and her make-up, which was usually so neat, was trailing down her face in black streaks.

"Amy!" He shouted and ran to the girls' side. "Amy what are you doing here? Whats wrong?"

"I… I don't know… I woke up and I was here." She said then her voice cracked. "They're chasing me…" She sobbed, flinging her arms around his neck. He wrapped an arm around her comfortingly.

"Amy, who is chasing you?" River asked, looking at the Doctor worriedly. The red-headed girl was now too caught in her hysterics to answer her question.

Suddenly, a roar sounded close by in the bushes, and the Doctor heard a rustle in the bushes.

"No time, River! Run!" He said to both the girls, then took Amy's hand and took off, knowing River wasn't far behind. Amy stumbled along behind him, wiping her tears off on her dirt-covered hand.

He heard the crashing of a tree and sped up, trying to pull Amy in front of him, but not quite succeeding. He heard a thump on the ground and then a long string of cuss words, then he pushed Amy and jogged back to where River had fallen.

He helped her up by the elbow, and looked behind him just in time to see Amy, too, stop. Her face once again becoming deathly pale. Then he turned back, hugging River closer to him just in case he'd have to throw her to the side. His arms tensed more as the cracking of twigs from the forest floor grew nearer. When he began to see the shadow of the creature, the Doctor couldn't hold his ground any longer. He threw both River and himself to the side, falling from the ground. When he looked back up, he saw the forest floor had been destroyed. Plants that had been there seconds before had been totally ripped up.

River sat up, rubbing her head where she'd hit it on the ground. "What… was that?" She asked as she, too looked at the trampled flowers and greenery.

" I don't know…" The Doctor said, standing and helping River to her feet. "Whatever it was… I don't think it was after us." After he said this, River looked around frantically.

"Doctor?" She whispered, horrified.

"Yes, River?"

"Where's Amy?" She said, her voice raising with every word.

"Pond?" He called out, now panicing, himself. He ran to the spot he'd last seen his ginger companion. Amy Pond was gone.

"They took Amy." River said, pressing her lips together in a tight line, waiting for some explosive response from the Doctor, but instead he turned to her, perfectly calm.

"Looks like we'll be going to the later showing, River…" He said, and she smiled and nodded. "Now… Let's follow these tracks." And hand-in-hand, they both rushed off after Amy's kidnappers.


	4. Chapter 4

"Doctor?" Amy screamed, looking around the pitch black room. She shivered as best she could while chained up. "Now would be a good time…" She said as if he could hear her. There was a faint skittering on the floor that slowly grew louder until she felt something furry crawl on her bare feet. Amy screamed, kicking at the rat that was now several feet away, staring at her. "Oh Rory… where are you…" She whispered into the silent darkness as wet drops rolled down her cheeks.

"River, we have to keep going."

"It's dark out, there's no point in going on now, we'd just get lost and have to back track." She said as she sat on a tree stump, looking around at the darkness that surrounded them. "Isn't your usual vacationing spot, but it's not that bad." River took off her shoe and rubbed her sore foot, looking up at the Doctor. "Stop here for the night?"

"We - I… Here is as good a place as any," he sighed, giving in.

"Now comes the question of sleeping arrangements…" River looked at him, smiling. The Doctor turned quickly to face her, panic in his eyes.

"We haven't… we don't… do we?" He asked, his face turning a bright red as River laughed softly.

"No, of course not." Then, seeing him relax slightly, she added, "Not in your time, anyway." In response, the Doctor grunted then cleared his throat.

"What do you suggest we sleep in?"

"I suspected we wouldn't be sleeping in the TARDIS tonight…" She said, then tossed him a small bundle. He heard her shuffling around then setting something on the ground. Then he heard a zipper sliding and a content sigh from his woman companion. He stayed that way, listening to the sound of her breathing until it slowed and lengthened, indicating she'd fallen asleep. It was then he began to set up his own sleeping bag, being careful not to wake her. When he was finished, he climbed in and laid on his back, staring up at the outline of trees surrounding them.

As the sun was rising, the Doctor heard a shuffling from next to him, and then a long yawn. He turned to see River still laying, half asleep, in the other sleeping bag.

"Good morning, Sweetie," she said quietly, opening her blue eyes sleepily. "How long was I asleep?"

"About four hours…" he answered, unable to take his eyes off of her as the sun shone through the branches on her curls when she sat up.

"You let me sleep in?" River turned toward him, grinning and showing her sparkling white teeth before she slipped out of the sleeping bag. "We should probably get moving if we want to find Amy before the day is out," she reminded him as she began to roll up her bag.

"Of course." He shook his head, trying to clear it of the millions of tiny thoughts that raced through his head all at once, then slipped out of his own sleeping bag. Once both of their sleeping gear was packed up safely in River's backpack, the pair started off town the torn forest trail the creature had made, going at a steady slow pace now instead of a run.


End file.
